Electrified extension hose for vacuum cleaner

ABSTRACT

An electrical extension hose includes a flexible hose body having first and second ends. A first electrified coupler is provided at the first end. A second electrified coupler is provided at the second end. At least two electrical conductors interconnect the first and second couplers. Further, the first and second couplers are capable of mating interconnection. Thus any number of electrical extension hoses may be connected together to construct a working hose of desired length.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/490,633 filed on Jul. 28, 2003.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the floor care equipmentfield and, more particularly, to an electrified extension hose for avacuum cleaner specially designed to allow one or more such extensionhoses to be connected together so the vacuum cleaner operator mayconstruct a hose of desired length.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It has long been known in the art to equip canister vacuum cleaners withan electrified hose in order to power a motor for driving the rotaryagitator of a power nozzle assembly. More recently, stretch hoses havebeen utilized so that the operator has an additional length of hose toallow operation of the power nozzle assembly a greater distance from thecanister of the vacuum cleaner.

In a recent development, the assignee of the present invention hasdesigned an upright vacuum cleaner incorporating a small powerhead andequipped with a stretch hose in order to power the motor for driving therotary agitator of that powerhead.

While such vacuum cleaner designs are particularly useful and beneficialfor an operator, some operators have been frustrated by the limitedlength of hose that is provided on such vacuum cleaners. The presentinvention relates to an electrified extension hose. Any number ofsegments of such an extension hose may be connected together in order toprovide a stretch hose of substantially any desired length forsubstantially any vacuum cleaner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the purposes of the present invention as describedherein, an electrified extension hose is provided. The electrifiedextension hose includes a flexible body having a first end and a secondend. A first coupler is provided on a first end of the hose body. Asecond coupler is provided on the second end of the hose body. First andsecond electrical terminals are provided on that first coupler. Thirdand fourth electrical terminals are provided on that second coupler.

A first electrical conductor carried on the hose body connects the firstand third electrical terminals. A second electrical conductor carried onthe hose body connects the second and fourth electrical terminals. Theelectrified extension hose is further characterized by at least one ofthe first and second couplers being capable of mating with a cooperatingelectrical coupler on another hose.

Further describing the invention, the hose body includes a reinforcingwire and a collapsible wall. Further, the first coupler carries a firstconnector and the second coupler carries a second connector. In onepossible embodiment the first and second connectors are cooperating maleand female connectors that secure two like hoses together.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention theelectrified extension hose may be defined as comprising a flexible hosebody having a first end and a second end. A first electrified coupler isprovided at the first end while a second electrified coupler is providedat the second end. At least two electrical conductors interconnect thefirst and second electrified couplers. Further, the first and secondelectrified couplers are capable of mating interconnection.

In the following description there is shown and described a preferredembodiment of the invention, simply by way of illustration of one of themodes best suited to carry out the invention. As it will be realized,the invention is capable of other different embodiments and its severaldetails are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects allwithout departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings anddescriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not asrestrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

The accompanying drawing incorporated in and forming a part of thisspecification, illustrates several aspects of the present invention, andtogether with the description serves to explain certain principles ofthe invention. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the electrified extension hose ofthe present invention connected between a wand and an original equipmenthose of a canister vacuum cleaner;

FIG. 2 is a detailed, perspective view of a first coupler on a first endof the hose body;

FIG. 3 is a detailed, perspective view of the second coupler on thesecond end of the hose body; and

FIG. 4 is a detailed, cross-sectional view showing the interconnectionof a first coupler on the first end of the extension hose with a coupleron another hose such as an original equipment hose of the canistervacuum cleaner illustrated in FIG. 1.

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodimentof the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is now made to FIG. 1 showing the electrified extension hose10 of the present invention in use interconnecting the originalequipment hose H and wand W of the canister vacuum cleaner V. Asillustrated, that vacuum cleaner V includes a canister housing C mountedon wheels L for movement across the floor. The wand W carries apowerhead P including a motor driven rotary agitator A. A switch S onthe wand W allows the operator to turn on both the suction generator Gin the canister housing and the motor M of the powerhead P for drivingthe agitator A. Advantageously, the extension hose 10 of the presentinvention includes the necessary electrical circuitry to allow properinterconnection between the switch S on the wand W, the motor M in thepowerhead P and the suction generator G in the canister housing C toallow proper operation.

The electrified extension hose 10 includes a flexible hose body 12including a lumen that defines a dirty air pathway. The hose body 12 hasa first end 14 and a second end 16. The hose body 12 is constructed froma flexible resin that is molded around a coiled reinforcing wire 18, afirst insulated electrical conductor 20 and a second insulatedelectrical conductor 22 (see FIG. 3). For many applications the hosebody 12 also includes a third insulated electrical conductor (notshown). The wall of the body 12 is collapsible with a resilient memoryto assume a retracted or shortened length. Thus, when at rest theelectrified extension hose 10 assumes a static length A. In contrast,when in use such as when the wand W is manipulated for above-floorcleaning, the hose 10 may be stretched to a length B where B>A byextending the collapsible wall of the body 12. Additional detailsrelating to the construction of electrified stretch hoses of the typeincorporated into the present invention may be gleaned from reviewingvarious prior art references including, for example, U.S. Pat. No.5,555,915 to Kanao.

A first coupler 26 is provided on the first end 14 of the hose body 12while a second coupler 28 is provided on the second end 16 of the hosebody. The first coupler 26 includes an outer hard plastic sleeve 30constructed, for example, from ABS or polycarbonate plastic and an innersoft plastic sleeve 32 constructed of, for example, polyvinylchloride ortetrapolyfluoroethylene. As further illustrated in FIG. 2, the firstcoupler 26 carries a first electrical terminal 34 and a secondelectrical terminal 36. Further, the first coupler 26 carries a firstconnector 38 which may, for example, take the form of a male connectorsuch as a projecting lug.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the second coupler 28 includes an outer sleeve40 constructed from a soft plastic such as polyvinylchloride ortetrapolyfluroethylene and an inner sleeve 42 constructed from a hardplastic such as ABS or polycarbonate. Additionally, the second coupler28 carries a third electrical terminal 44 and a fourth electricalterminal 46. In addition, the second coupler 28 carries a secondconnector 48. That second connector 48 may take the form of a femaleconnector sized and shaped to cooperate and mate with the firstconnector 38 of the first coupler 26. Thus, as illustrated, the secondconnector 48 may take the form of a groove such as the hook-shapedgroove illustrated in drawing FIG. 3.

It should be appreciated that the first conductor 20 runs through thehose body 12 of the electrified extension hose 10 and interconnects thefirst electrical terminal 34 on the first coupler 26 with the thirdelectrical terminal 44 on the second coupler 28. Similarly, the secondelectrical conductor 22 runs through the hose body 12 of the electrifiedextension hose 10 and interconnects the second electrical terminal 36 onthe first coupler 26 with the fourth electrical terminal 46 on thesecond coupler 28.

By providing standard first and second, mating electrical couplers 26,28 on all hoses and either a first or second coupler on the wand W andthe opposite thereof on the canister housing C, one may interconnect anynumber of electrified extension hose sections 10 of the presentinvention to provide a working hose between the canister housing C andthe wand W of substantially any desired length.

The interconnection of the first end 14 and, therefore, first coupler 26of the extension hose 10 of the present invention with the free or wandend of the original equipment hose H is illustrated in FIG. 4. As shouldbe appreciated, the first coupler 26 is of a diameter that may be snuglyreceived in the inner diameter of the original equipment hose coupler Owhich corresponds to the second coupler 28. Accordingly, the firstcoupler 26 is aligned with the coupler O so that the first connector 38is inserted into the second connector 48 as the two couplers are pushedtogether. During this interconnection, the first coupler is twistedslightly so that the first connector 38 follows the curve of thehook-shaped groove of the second connector 48. When the first coupler 26is fully seated in the coupler O, the first terminal 34 exposed throughthe outer wall of the first coupler is brought into contact with thethird terminal 44 exposed through the inner wall of the second couplerO. Similarly, the second terminal 36 exposed through the outer wall ofthe first coupler 26 is brought into contact with the fourth terminal 46exposed through the inner wall of the second coupler O. Accordingly, notonly is fluid communication established between the two hoses 10, H butso is full electrical connectivity through the mating terminals 34, 36,44 and 46 and the hose conductors 20, 22.

The second end 12 and second coupler 28 of the extension hose 10 may besimilarly interconnected with the end of the wand W. In this way bothfluid communication and electrical connectivity are fully establishedbetween the canister housing C and the powerhead P. As a result, theoperator may manipulate the switch S to energize both the suctiongenerator G in the canister housing C and the motor M for the rotaryagitator A in the powerhead P. Thus dirt and debris are brushed andbeaten from the nap of an underlying carpet by the rotary agitator A.That dirt and debris becomes entrained in the suction airstream producedby the suction generator G. As a result the dirt and debris is drawnthrough the wand W, the first extension hose 10 and the originalequipment hose H into the dirt collection vessel V in the canisterhousing C. That air is then passed over the motor of the suctiongenerator G to cool the motor before being exhausted into theenvironment through the exhaust vents E. The vessel V may, of course, bea filter bag, a dirt cup or a cyclonic collection vessel.

Since the first and second couplers 26, 28 are standardized forinterconnection, any number of extension hoses or sections 10 may becoupled together to provide a working hose of substantially any desiredlength. The design of the couplers 26, 28 ensures that full airstreamfluid communication and electrical connectivity are maintainedthroughout the length of the working hose no matter how many extensionhose sections 10 are connected together.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of this inventionhas been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It isnot intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the preciseform disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible inlight of the above teachings. For example, while the electrifiedextension hose 10 described in detail above is a “stretch hose”, theinvention also includes non-stretch embodiments. Further, whileillustrated for use with a canister vacuum cleaner, it should beappreciated that the extension hose 10 may also be used with an uprightvacuum cleaner if desired.

The embodiment was chosen and described to provide the best illustrationof the principles of the invention and its practical application tothereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the inventionin various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited tothe particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variationsare within the scope of the invention as determined by the appendedclaims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they arefairly, legally and equitably entitled. The drawings and preferredembodiment do not and are not intended to limit the ordinary meaning ofthe claims and their fair and broad interpretation in any way.

1. A electrified extension hose, comprising: a flexible hose body havinga first end and a second end; a first coupler on said first end of saidhose body; a second coupler on said second end of said hose body; afirst electrical terminal and a second electrical terminal on said firstcoupler; a third electrical terminal and a fourth electrical terminal onsaid second coupler; a first electrical conductor carried on said hosebody and connecting said first and third electrical terminals; a secondelectrical conductor carried on said hose body and connecting saidsecond and fourth electrical terminals; and said electrified extensionhose being characterized by at least one of said first and secondcouplers being capable of mating with a corresponding electrical coupleron another hose.
 2. The electrified extension hose of claim 1 whereinsaid hose body defines a lumen and includes a reinforcing wire and acollapsible wall.
 3. The electrified extension hose of claim 1, whereinsaid first coupler carries a first connector and said second couplercarries a second connector.
 4. The electrified extension hose of claim3, wherein said first and second connectors are cooperating male andfemale connectors that secure two like hoses together.
 5. An electricalextension hose, comprising: a flexible hose body having a first end anda second end; a first electrified coupler at said first end; a secondelectrified coupler at said second end; and at least two electricalconductors interconnecting said first and second electrified couplers;said first and second electrified couplers being capable of matinginterconnection.